Relocating to SNA-more UA mainline or more UX?
Sep 2, 2014, 2:31 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
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Posts: 4,419
Honestly, the route you are planning will take 6-10 hours. Just drive!
Get to SNA 1 hour before, 90 minute flight, 90 minute connection, 30 minute flight, 90 minute drive to avoid the bridge and the faster route from SMF.
You are better off staying in Chicago and flying to SMF.
Honestly, WN or drive. The route you are planning is 6 hours if all goes well. Which flying via SFO, wont be often.
Get to SNA 1 hour before, 90 minute flight, 90 minute connection, 30 minute flight, 90 minute drive to avoid the bridge and the faster route from SMF.
You are better off staying in Chicago and flying to SMF.
Honestly, WN or drive. The route you are planning is 6 hours if all goes well. Which flying via SFO, wont be often.
Sep 2, 2014, 2:32 pm
#17
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You will spend 8 to 10 hours doing what you could do in 2 hours with your master plan. You will, from time to time, not sleep in the bed you had planned sleeping in from time to time, and that won't be because you got lucky at the hotel bar. WN is the business flyer's friend out here. You can mix/match most city pairs, and there is plenty of frequency. I don't fly them very frequently, but I just suck up the $12 to not worry about check-in time, have 75% of the aisle seats available for my choosing when I walk onboard, don't have to gate check my carry-on because of RJ size (which means I can travel with one bag total).
As a UA Gold in SFO, there will be, at any given time, probably a few thousand people in the airport with higher status than you.
As far as OAK, there's free wifi and plenty of plugs. I get a xbux iced tea and it is just about as good as sitting in a UA lounge, and maybe better, because I don't have to keep running back to the monitors to see the creeping delays and/or cancellations of my flights.
As a UA Gold in SFO, there will be, at any given time, probably a few thousand people in the airport with higher status than you.
As far as OAK, there's free wifi and plenty of plugs. I get a xbux iced tea and it is just about as good as sitting in a UA lounge, and maybe better, because I don't have to keep running back to the monitors to see the creeping delays and/or cancellations of my flights.
Use of the United Lounge is important to me as well as decent airside restaurants (the only healthy one I can find at DEN by the way is itza wrap/bowl) for lunch. E+ seating is also important, when applicable.
I haven't paid for a flight to England in 10 years and have been in C or F each time thanks to flying UA. I don't care if WN let me sit in the jumpseat behind the pilot, it's just not an airline I care to fly, ever. I'm glad it works for you but it won't work for me. I don't have a "master plan". I was just explaining my anticipated routes.
Non stops to SFO were dirt cheap at $200 vs $400 to SMF. Guess I'll have to overcome my phobia.
Sep 2, 2014, 2:33 pm
#18
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Honestly, the route you are planning will take 6-10 hours. Just drive!
Get to SNA 1 hour before, 90 minute flight, 90 minute connection, 30 minute flight, 90 minute drive to avoid the bridge and the faster route from SMF.
You are better off staying in Chicago and flying to SMF.
Honestly, WN or drive. The route you are planning is 6 hours if all goes well. Which flying via SFO, wont be often.
Get to SNA 1 hour before, 90 minute flight, 90 minute connection, 30 minute flight, 90 minute drive to avoid the bridge and the faster route from SMF.
You are better off staying in Chicago and flying to SMF.
Honestly, WN or drive. The route you are planning is 6 hours if all goes well. Which flying via SFO, wont be often.
Sep 2, 2014, 2:38 pm
#19
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Just for kicks and giggles I google mapped current distance and driving times as of right now:
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
Sep 2, 2014, 2:38 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2006
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OP, I respect your decision to stay with UA, for now. We might be in for an El Nino winter. Actually, we're thirsting for it. If it comes, be prepared to hear a lot of "I told you so"s, because WN SNA-OAK will definitely operate more consistently than UA SNA-SFO. Otherwise, get used to the logjam on the 405 in and out of LAX. 
Good luck!
Good luck!
Sep 2, 2014, 2:49 pm
#21
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Just for kicks and giggles I google mapped current distance and driving times as of right now:
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
If you fly in the night before, arrive after rush hour, and there will be little traffic SFO-Martinez. The later the better, obviously.
The SMF-Martinez rush is westbound mornings (people driving into SF because they think that living that far is OK), and eastbound evenings (more on Friday with Tahoe traffic).
The SFO-Martinez rush is a bit more variable and difficult to describe since you go through the city to get to the East Bay. So eastbound mornings SFO-Martinez will be a problem (101 north to SF), and afternoons as well (SF/bridge and tunnel on 24 or SF/bridge and 80 North). Westbound will be very problematic in the morning rush (SF/bridge), and less so in the evening.
If you arrive SFO the night before (say 7pm or later), and leave Martinez no later than say 3:30 PM or so, you shouldn't run into too much trouble, barring any unusual circumstances like a game.
Most major car rentals have Fastrak, so you can zip through the Fastrak lane, and it will bill you (plus a fee).
Sep 2, 2014, 3:07 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: All-Around Kettle
Posts: 3,290
Just for kicks and giggles I google mapped current distance and driving times as of right now:
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
1. SFO-Martinez, 46 miles, 1 hr 5 minutes
2. SMF-Martinez, 67 miles, 1 hr 15 minutes
Not exactly a huge difference and considering I always fly in the night before at rush hour I can see the difference being even more negligible, or am I way off?
For the Martinez trip, if you must fly SFO, you might also consider taking BART from SFO to Concord, and a taxi the rest of the way. Still a longer trip than from OAK, but at least the trip will not be affected by traffic.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:09 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
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90 minutes is probably the average, but it's 90 minutes with no traffic from SMF.. It just doesn't make sense to fly into SFO then SMF, then drive back.
I know you want the miles, but just stick to UA for everything other than Martinez? Flying into OAK, is ideal for you, if you have a fear of bridges. Just drive the middle lane and don't look left or right..
I was anti WN for a very long time, until I realize, it works and gets me home quicker. It just makes too much sense on that route. BIL, you need to connect anyway, DEN is non stop, and SEA you will have to connect, since you can't even fly LAX-SEA anymore on UA.
For the rest go UA, but flying into OAK will save you time and make you a happier person, and you won't have to cross any bridges. You still need to pass a bridge from SMF to Martinez..
I know you want the miles, but just stick to UA for everything other than Martinez? Flying into OAK, is ideal for you, if you have a fear of bridges. Just drive the middle lane and don't look left or right..
I was anti WN for a very long time, until I realize, it works and gets me home quicker. It just makes too much sense on that route. BIL, you need to connect anyway, DEN is non stop, and SEA you will have to connect, since you can't even fly LAX-SEA anymore on UA.
For the rest go UA, but flying into OAK will save you time and make you a happier person, and you won't have to cross any bridges. You still need to pass a bridge from SMF to Martinez..
Sep 2, 2014, 3:19 pm
#24
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90 minutes is probably the average, but it's 90 minutes with no traffic from SMF.. It just doesn't make sense to fly into SFO then SMF, then drive back.
I know you want the miles, but just stick to UA for everything other than Martinez? Flying into OAK, is ideal for you, if you have a fear of bridges. Just drive the middle lane and don't look left or right..
I was anti WN for a very long time, until I realize, it works and gets me home quicker. It just makes too much sense on that route. BIL, you need to connect anyway, DEN is non stop, and SEA you will have to connect, since you can't even fly LAX-SEA anymore on UA.
For the rest go UA, but flying into OAK will save you time and make you a happier person, and you won't have to cross any bridges. You still need to pass a bridge from SMF to Martinez..
I know you want the miles, but just stick to UA for everything other than Martinez? Flying into OAK, is ideal for you, if you have a fear of bridges. Just drive the middle lane and don't look left or right..
I was anti WN for a very long time, until I realize, it works and gets me home quicker. It just makes too much sense on that route. BIL, you need to connect anyway, DEN is non stop, and SEA you will have to connect, since you can't even fly LAX-SEA anymore on UA.
For the rest go UA, but flying into OAK will save you time and make you a happier person, and you won't have to cross any bridges. You still need to pass a bridge from SMF to Martinez..
When I finally get settled I'll try UA to SFO then a different time to SMF and compare.
I have:
No wife.
No kids.
Basically no life.
So connections to me are fun and I enjoy them.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:24 pm
#25
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If the OP is afraid of bridges, he's probably afraid of a tube that goes under the bay.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:26 pm
#26
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I can handle lower bridges (TPA area bridges don't phase me) and all bridges over the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers).
On a side note does BART go from SFO to OAK? Perhaps I can just do that and pick up my National car rental at OAK.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:32 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SNA, LAX
Posts: 418
I like UA (and SNA!) as much as anybody, but I either fly WN to the Bay Area out of SNA, or Jet Blue out of Long Beach. I haven't heard a single good thing about the regional jets UA flies to the bay area. And I prefer Alaska to Seattle.
The nicest thing about SNA (among many nice things) is that all three terminals connect airside, so you can use the UA club no matter which airline you're flying.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:37 pm
#28
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Being SNA based for too many years (or is it decades? ) I have NEVER flown SWA. Even though I too go to the Bay area frequently, and I have left UA for all but can't-be-avoided domestic flights, it isn't hard to avoid SWA. But for intra-California travel, I suppose SWA isn't too bad. Short flight, like an RJ on United.
In the past couple of years United cut the ORD schedule significantly. Used to be up to 5 or 6 flights daily, plus 4 on Saturday. Now you're lucky to find 2 on a Saturday, and the weekday schedule varies by season. I fully expect RJs to make an appearance in that route any day now.
UA did for a while have RJs on the DEN route, but I don't know if they still do. Frontier operates on that route, usually cheaper than UA.
SEA you can use Alaska if you want, but for everywhere you need to go, United will serve. Just not as often, and not as cheaply as any of the others.
) I have NEVER flown SWA. Even though I too go to the Bay area frequently, and I have left UA for all but can't-be-avoided domestic flights, it isn't hard to avoid SWA. But for intra-California travel, I suppose SWA isn't too bad. Short flight, like an RJ on United.In the past couple of years United cut the ORD schedule significantly. Used to be up to 5 or 6 flights daily, plus 4 on Saturday. Now you're lucky to find 2 on a Saturday, and the weekday schedule varies by season. I fully expect RJs to make an appearance in that route any day now.
UA did for a while have RJs on the DEN route, but I don't know if they still do. Frontier operates on that route, usually cheaper than UA.
SEA you can use Alaska if you want, but for everywhere you need to go, United will serve. Just not as often, and not as cheaply as any of the others.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:42 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD-LAS
Programs: UA MM 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium Elite
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Thanks for the info. I can handle most bridges, and have been on the bridge to Martinez--it's nothing in size and length compared to the Bay Bridge.
When I finally get settled I'll try UA to SFO then a different time to SMF and compare.
I have:
No wife.
No kids.
Basically no life.
So connections to me are fun and I enjoy them.
When I finally get settled I'll try UA to SFO then a different time to SMF and compare.
I have:
No wife.
No kids.
Basically no life.
So connections to me are fun and I enjoy them.
At the end of the day, the older you get, time becomes important, the miles on SNA-SFO-SMF and back will net you 3000 as a Gold, I think. I wouldn't bother for all that travel, but let us know what you think and what works best. I would be interested to hear.
Sep 2, 2014, 3:43 pm
#30
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